News & Notes - March 28, 2021
The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
Outdoor & Online Service: 9:30 a.m.
From the Rector: Entering the Mystery
Dear friends,

We’re about to come close to the central mystery of our faith. As Christians we proclaim that Jesus has won the victory over evil and death. That truth is bigger than we are. It’s more than our minds can grasp. But we come close to that mystery in a unique and particularly powerful way at Holy Week—especially in the Triduum, or Great Three Days, from Maundy Thursday through Easter Sunday.

The losses of the past year have been profound, and this Holy Week will again be like no other we have ever experienced (or likely will again). Our faith in Jesus Christ holds together our joys and our sorrows. And Holy Week and Easter are where we come closest to the heart of both. Holy Week tells us that the cross and the empty tomb are forever linked. Even in deepest suffering, we can hold fast to the truth that Jesus has conquered evil and death forever. And even in greatest joy, the wounds of the risen Jesus point us back to the ongoing needs of the world.

Please join as fully as you can in our journey through Holy Week and Easter. Join us in person or online. I particularly want to encourage you to set aside time to participate in the Triduum liturgies of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter. Join us on Zoom or outdoors (or sit in Farlander) for the evening services on Thursday and Friday, and then join our wider deanery family on Zoom for the Great Vigil. Registration links are below, and the full schedule with information about each service is here.
In Christ's love,
Holy Week and Easter: Reservations Available
Our service schedule for Holy Week and Easter Sunday is now available!

To help us make plans for in-person services, it's important to know how many people to expect. You can help right now by making your reservations for the services you plan to attend.

All outdoor services will be held in the central quadrangle, with additional adjoining seating available in Farlander Hall. Congregational singing is now permitted for outdoor services only, so our outdoor services will feature hymns and choral music, while indoor services will be spoken liturgies.

For full descriptions of each event, see the schedule on our web page.

Register to Attend In Person

Palm Sunday, March 28: 9:30 a.m. (outdoors/Farlander)


Good Friday, April 2: 7:00 p.m. (outdoors/Farlander)

(The Great Vigil of Easter, April 3, 8:00 p.m., will be held online as a shared celebration with six other congregations from our Russian River Deanery.)

Easter Sunday, April 4: 8:00 a.m. (indoors; no singing)

Easter Sunday, April 4: 9:30 a.m. (outdoors/Farlander)



Each day's services will also be livestreamed on Zoom and Facebook. Communion kits will also be available after the Palm Sunday liturgy for home Communion on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. Unlike last fall, no reservations will be required to pick up a Communion kit.
Online Services
During this time of pandemic, our worship continues. Using technology, we can gather from wherever we may be and join together in the Word and in prayer.
 
Here's more on how to use Zoom.
 
·    To use Zoom for Sunday and other services: Visit https://zoom.us/j/997787434.
·    To dial in: Call (669) 900-9128. Enter meeting ID code: 997 787 434 #.
 
We are also live streaming each Zoom service on our Facebook page, so you can also watch the service on Facebook, and it will be archived there for viewing later in case you're not able to join in live. You don't need to be a Facebook member to see the live stream on the Facebook page by clicking the link above.
Ideas for Lenten Practices
"The Poet Thinks about the Donkey," by Mary Oliver
On the outskirts of Jerusalem
the donkey waited.
Not especially brave, or filled with understanding,
he stood and waited.
How horses, turned out into the meadow,
  leap with delight!
How doves, released from their cages,
  clatter away, splashed with sunlight.
But the donkey, tied to a tree as usual, waited.
Then he let himself be led away.
Then he let the stranger mount.
Never had he seen such crowds!
And I wonder if he at all imagined what was to happen.
Still, he was what he had always been: small, dark, obedient.
I hope, finally, he felt brave.
I hope, finally, he loved the man who rode so lightly upon him,
as he lifted one dusty hoof and stepped, as he had to, forward.

+ Mary Oliver
Godly Play Foundation: the Mystery of Easter VI

Greetings, friends!
We continue our journey to get ready to enter the Mystery of Easter. Through the Faces of Easter stories we prepare for the king who is coming, going, and coming again. We remember this king who grew to become a boy. This boy entered a Temple where he "listened" and was "listened to". You can find this story in The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 4
This is a serious time. It takes many weeks to get ready to enter the Mystery of Easter. Join us each week for a time of wonder.
If members of your community have access to a Lent in a Bag, this is a great supplement to those materials.
We also have a free Lent at Home guide for to help families get ready.
We invite you to share this video to encourage the families in your community to wonder during this time. 
  • I wonder if you have ever discovered something new when sharing the Holy Bread and the Holy Wine? 
  • I wonder if there is anything in your house that you could bring to this story to help us tell it better?


With gratitude and grace,
Heather Ingersoll
Executive Director, Godly Play Foundation
Coming Right Up...
Easter Dinner - Sign up by Wednesday March 31!
It’s holiday meal time again for those of you who can’t be with family and friends, can’t get out for one reason or the other, or just struggle in the kitchen! This time we're providing a ham dinner with sides and a special Easter dessert. If you would like just the sides and the dessert, that’s fine to.

For reservations, please call Julie at 707-755-3515 (you may leave a message but speak loudly!) or email the office, alison@incarnationsantarosa.org. The cut off date is Wednesday March 31. Your meal will be available for pick up on Saturday, April 3, at the church's back parking lot from 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm.
Easter Flower Donations
It’s time to decorate our beautiful church for Easter both inside and out! Our tradition is folks can donate for flowers in memory or thanksgiving for friends or family, and your name and who you donated for will be in the bulletin. If you wish to donate, please click Here to fill out the form. You may pay with VISA or mail in a check. Please put “Easter Flowers” on the memo line of your check.

Your request much reach the office no later than Friday, March 26, in order to be included in the bulletin.
Soldiers Way of the Cross in Spanish / Via Crucis del Soldado en Español

"Yo estaba allí."
La historia del día
contado por un soldado de guardia

Viernes 19 de marzo, a las 19:00 horas.
The Incarnation Book Group continues to meet on the Third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Please join us in reading Dusk, Night, Dawn, by Anne Lamott
 
"In Dusk Night Dawn, Anne Lamott explores the tough questions that many of us grapple with. How can we recapture the confidence we once had as we stumble through the dark times that seem increasingly bleak? As bad newspiles up--from climate crises to daily assaults on civility--how can we cope? Where, she asks, "do we start to our world and joy and hope and our faith in life itself back . . . with our sore feet, hearing loss, stiff fingers, poor digestion, stunned minds, broken hearts?"

We begin, Lamott says, by accepting our flaws and embracing our humanity.
Full of the honesty, humor, and humanity that have made Lamott beloved by millions of readers, Dusk Night Dawn is classic Anne Lamott--thoughtful and comic, warm and wise--and further proof that Lamott truly speaks to the better angels in all of us." — Goodreads
See you Tuesday, April 20, at 6:30 pm PST
 
Contact Linda Sevier to order your copy through Incarnation’s Bookstore sevierlinda@gmail.com
For more information please contact Paul Mallatt at 707-312-3870 / paulyfa@me.com
Dusk, Night, Dawn is available on both  Kindle and Audible.
(Please Note: Financial assistance to purchase your copy is always available through Incarnation’s Bookstore)
We are excited! Our roof and solar project will be completed this summer! The roof on Farlander Hall needs to be replaced. It won’t last another year without the risk of significant damage to the entire structure. Adding solar panels to the roof during the replacement gives us two advantages: We can reduce the cost of our monthly electricity charges and we can exercise good stewardship by reducing our energy consumption. During the coming weeks we will send out information to explain the solar energy producing system and its impact on our church campus.
This is a large project that will help us move into the next generation of preserving our church grounds with new technology. To fund the project, we are launching a fundraising campaign Sunday, April 11. A Town Hall, Sunday April 18, will provide a chance for the congregation to hear all the details and ask questions. Please join us for the Town Hall and learn how you can take part.
And God said, "Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. (Genesis 1:3)
Through the Ear to the Heart
Sing the Music of St. Hildegard of Bingen
A contemplative practice in the medieval oral tradition
Open to everyone who enjoys singing
 
St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a Benedictine Abbess, visionary, healer, naturalist, poet, playwright, and counselor.
She was also a brilliant composer. Her songs are beautiful, inspiring, and encoded with mystical wisdom and insight. Experience Hildegard’s music the way she shared it with the women and men who sang with her, in a restful, nourishing process of listening and singing together ‘through the ear to the heart.’
 
Spring Schedule 2021
Tuesday evenings 7:00-8:o0 pm
via Zoom
For information or to request a Zoom invitation
contact Devi ~ info@singhildegard.com ~ 707-829-0815
Meeting Dates: Mar 23; April 13, 27; May 11, 25; June 8, 22
 
No experience or musical training required
Drop-ins & newcomers are always welcome
Donations gratefully accepted
 
Devi Mathieu has been singing and teaching the music of St. Hildegard for more than 20 years. A singer of western medieval and contemporary music in the US and Europe, she has a lifelong love of sacred music from around the world.                                                                                     
Incarnation Rainbow Group: Third Thursday of the Month
The Incarnation Rainbow Group is a group supporting LGBTQ+ issues within the virtual walls of Incarnation - it is part social, part advocacy, part informational. This group, which formed last summer, brought to you the National Coming Out Day worship and discussion events this year. We are looking ahead to celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride events in June, 2021. Join us in planning the celebration.

We meet the third Thursday of each month at 5 pm via Zoom. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Allan Bolchazy at allanbengr@gmail.com."
Please Take Note...
A Message from Bishop Kin Lucas
Bishop Kym Lucas of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado, a member of Bishops United Against Gun Violence, released this message in the wake of the mass shooting at a Boulder supermarket in which 10 people were killed.
 
Introducing Ellen Wondra, new priest associate
My name is Ellen Wondra (said WON-dray), and I am grateful and pleased to be a relatively new member at the Church of the Incarnation. And I'm honored to have been licensed and authorized as an assisting priest. I moved to Rohnert Park in June 2019, from the Chicago area where I studied, lived, and taught for many years. I was ordained as a deacon in 1976, and a priest in 1977, both in the Diocese of California. (I'm a third generation native.) Over the past forty years I've lived and worked in the Upper Midwest and Western New York.

My primary ministry has been teaching theology and ethics at the seminary level, working for church unity in the ecumenical movement, and being on the editorial team of Anglican Theological Review. I am retired now from teaching and from ATR. I still work in ecumenism, currently serving on the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, where I am part of the working group on the nature and mission of the church.

I love living in California again, where I enjoy the weather, walking, swimming, cooking, gardening, and being with my cat Posey. I am looking forward to volunteering in the community, and to being able to travel a bit again.

Thank you for welcoming me to Incarnation. And I look forward to getting to know you better as conditions allow. May God richly bless all of us and our communities.
Ellen K. Wondra
Research Professor Emerita of Theology and Ethics
Bexley Seabury Federation
March Sunday Open Table N&N: Please See Survey!
As we head towards Easter and a season of renewal in many ways, Sunday Open Table continues as an important mission of this parish. We are deeply grateful for the many parishioners who volunteer and also to those of you who have made Open Table a regular part of your planned giving. We always appreciate your continued prayers for this ministry.

As vaccines become more available, we are looking towards the future and being able to provide a hot meal for those we serve. As part of the planning process, we have distributed a volunteer questionnaire to see how people are feeling about contributing in this way. There are many tasks that need doing, some with contact with our guests and others that are more involved with preparation. If you are at all interested, pleased fill out this survey https://incarnationsantarosa.breezechms.com/form/34e6d4.

We are hoping to have a robust group of helpers so that people will only be asked to participate one or two times per month. If you have friends that are non-parish members who are interested in helping, please let them know they are invited. Again, if you want to know more about what volunteering entails, you can talk directly to Mark Neumann at markscomputer@gmail.com or 707-292-6710 or Allan Bolchazy at allanbengr@gmail.com 707-312-3778.

We are continuing to provide toiletries and some clothing items once per month. We have limited storage space, but we can always use sweatshirts and jackets that are clean and in good condition. Recently, we have had a request for belts, so if you have a few extras in you closet, please drop them off. New socks are appreciated year round, so if you are shopping (that will soon be a thing again), and see a good deal, please keep our guests in mind.
Sunday, April 25, 12:00 p.m. Online Vigil for Lorin Leitner
The online vigil service in memory of Lorin Leitner, originally scheduled for last Sunday, has been postponed. The online vigil will take place on Sunday, April 25 at noon.
Prayers
Prayer requests will stay on our list for 3 weeks. After that, if you would like long-term which is for 3 months, please notify the office. Prayers for those who have died will remain on for 6 months.

Your prayers are requested...
...Diana & Fred B., Jeff, The Matthias Family, Denise, Cindy, Matthew, John C., Doug, Raffi, Ed, Annie & Haru, Andy, James & Priscilla, Sharon, Lila, Amy C., Mary K., Richard M., Betty, Cory, Matt C., Don B., Gene & Elizabeth, Francoise, Marsha, Mary W., Hugh & Angela, Robyn, Amanda, and Nancy H.

...for those who have died: Rob McIntyre, Janet, Paul Rand, Lorin Leitner, Bruce Cronan, Marlene Broce, Kay Conner, Mario & Henni P., Harry Dingwall, Athy, Bill Whidden, Marjorie Thoreson, Maureen Green, Alberta Jacobson, Ellen Meuse, Geoff Wright, Marilyn Payne.
 
...for the victims of COVID-19:  especially we pray for those affected by the COVID-19 virus, and for all who are in danger.
 
...for our city, county, and community; the city council, the board of supervisors, for those who serve the common good in law enforcement and the courts.
 
click here for the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer.
click here for the Anglican Cycle of Prayer.
This Coming Week...
Sunday, March 28

Monday, March 29

Tuesday, March 30
  • 2:00 pm: Living Compass Lent
  • 6:30 pm: Incarnation Book Group
  • 7:00 pm - Through the Ear to the Heart: contemplative singing. Contact Devi Mathieu to request the Zoom invitation: info@singhildegard.com, 707-829-0815.

Wednesday, March 31
  • 4:00 PM: Youth Group. For more information contact Daphne, dvernon@incarnationsantarosa.org
  • 7:00 pm: Online Evening Prayer (see Online Services above for link)
  • 7:30 pm: Anam Cara - Psalms and Silence

Thursday, April 1 - Maundy Thursday

Friday, April 2 - Good Friday

Saturday, April 3 - Holy Saturday / Easter Eve
  • 9:00 am - 11:00 am: Open Table Prep
  • 3:00 pm: Daughters of the King
  • 8:00 pm: The Great Vigil of Easter (Zoom or Facebook)
  • Readings here

Sunday, April 4



To sign up for the Diocesan Newsletter click HERE.
Pastoral Care
Talk with Stephen
Could you use a prayer or a listening ear? Do you have ideas you'd like to share? Although our offices are closed, Pastor Stephen is available to talk by phone or via Zoom. If you'd like to find a time to talk with Stephen, you can call Alison at 707-579-2604 or email Stephen directly at sshaver@incarnationsantarosa.org.
Need Support?
If you know of anyone, including yourself, who could use a communion visit or a prayer, please call the church office (707-579-2604) or email alison@incarnationsantarosa.org
 
If you have a pastoral emergency after hours or on weekends, please call the church office (number above) and follow the prompts for the Priest-on-Call.